My Ruby Red Planet
by LeashaAmanda
Summary: Rose has everything she has ever wanted at the tips of her fingers all she has to do is reach out a little furhter and grab it. But what happens when Rose crosses paths with the bass player of the hot young band Short Stack, Andy Clemmensen?
1. Chapter 1

Part One

Chapter One

I stood as still as possible, a slight smile curling my lips a touch, trying not to look directly at the camera. Modelling, my heart loved it, I loved it, it was my life but if my head could pretend like the camera wasn't there I wasn't going to freak out. It wasn't that the camera made me nervous, it just blocked the way I moved. With my hands, I held my woollen hooded scarf in place, holding a comfortable standing position with my feet a shoulder width apart to keep my balance. Just all part of the natural look we were going for this winter. I loved the make-up they had chosen for this shoot and the artist had been truly amazing but I never let anyone touch my hair or face unless it was my sister, my personal assistant or my best friends, Claire and Jasmine. Of course, the artist had insisted on being in the room while I got my face on after she had finished explaining to Stephanie, my assistance, the look, in great detail, and she had been a loud up to the point where she gave senseless, annoying remarks on Steph's techniques. That was it, she wasn't putting up with it and neither was I; Steph threw the young lady out of her own studio.

Standing in comfortable, warm heeled Ugg boots, I tried not to worry about that or the dramas in dressing. Someone had gotten the sizes between Claire's and my outfits mixed up. They put her sundress in oranges, browns and yellow in my size four with adjusted wast and leg length. While the off-white jean, blouse and jacket I was supposed to wear with the hook and boots were in her size eight with adjusted shoulders and leg length. The poor darling hated my tiny waist but she had legs that went forever but shoulders that were slightly too narrow to level out good hips. I was the perfect hour-glass figure. Matching hips and shoulders with the high, tiny waist but I was a massive short-ass. The poor baby got me into modelling and already I was almost as big as her, not that it seemed to bother her. When I start to get noticed on the street and she doesn't, that'll be when she brings up her problem. I love Claire, like a sister. She was standing behind the camera, far enough away that she wouldn't get in the way but close enough that she could whisper praise to me about how well I was doing.

"Perfect, Rose – darling, I need you to look at the camera. Connect with the audience, tell them to buy the product" the indifferent tone of the photographer threw me.

I moved, shifting my weight and placing my left hand on my waist, trying to not let it be imposing but I had never had a guy be so indifferent towards me. Wow, it was hard not to let it get to you, though I tried with my best efforts. This was impossible, he's probably seen hundreds of girls, and he's learnt how to keep himself out of trouble. My story calmed me down enough for me to realised what I was doing looked odd. I shifted my pose again, leaving the photographer alone. I didn't need him anyway. After a few minutes, Claire was called in to pose with me. They took the hooded scarf and fluffed my hair, quickly retouching my lips with clear lip-gloss. Everyone rushed around like it was the last few moments of the world, like we had to get this done quickly. I couldn't help myself; I loved the tension between shots then the relaxation when the camera flashed.

At first the shots were awkward between Claire and I because we both didn't quite understand the others rhythms or what the photographer wanted. A few shots later, Claire hugged me and while we were messing around few flashed blinded me. The photographer got his pictures. I wonder how the pictures would look like; we were both wearing totalling different outfits. How had we'd both gone together? I couldn't say which shots I thought were the best, I needed to see the photos and anything could have happened during the messing around. I smiled one last time and ruffled Claire's hair before the photographer called the shoot to a close.

"Thanks girls, Mary, send in the band" he barley glanced at us this time.

"Band?" I whispered to Steph as she gave me my trench coat.

"Short Stack," she must have read something on my face because she gave me a look that was twisted between pain and shock, "As in 'Heartbreak made me a killer' or you know your Australian when Short Stack is a band not pancakes?" she started to look worried.

I gave her my best blank look but whether it worked or not – I didn't get a chance to known. Suddenly, the main door burst open and a tall guy wear tight, black jeans and a red jacket walked through the double doors flanked by two others that dressed completely different. Wow, this magazine took randoms? I must have had the wrong idea about these guys because Stephanie was no longer beside me and there was a lot of screaming from outside ringing through to the backroom, here. I didn't take a second look at them, not even the blond angel with gorgeous blue eyes that brushed shoulders with me as I pushed my way to the front rooms of the building.

"Short Stack!" one cry rung out over the rest but I still had no idea what I was in for when I went for the door.

I swing the door open before completely registering how many people were outside or how I was going to made it to my car. The people got louder and rushed towards me, as soon as the door was opened enough for people to get through. The first few people were upon me before I knew I was going to get crushed – a pair of hands enclosed around my waist before I knew I was going to get crushed.

"Andy!" a chorus of voices nearly deafened me as I was pulled back inside the building and the doors were shut by two tall guys in dark suits and big, mirrored sunglasses.

"Jesus Christ! That just may have changed my mind" I turned and met the blue eyes of my rescuer for a second before blushing and pushing his hands away.

"Yeah, that usually enough for someone to think twice about going outside without back-up… I would volunteer but… yeah; I seem to be the problem" he gave me a smile that didn't match the lip piercing or the cocky attitude.

"Oh no, I meant that it would change my mind about wanting the whole world to know my name" the urge to apologize started to grow in the pit of my stomach.

Suddenly, everything that was there before was gone. His face lost all confidence it had before and I was left feeling guilty. What are you doing Rose? He was just trying to be nice – whoever he was. Andy, I think the crowd had screamed.

"I'm Rose, I suppose it's thanks for kind of saving my life" I held out my hand.

"Andrew Clemmensen – Andy, as you heard" he wrapped a hand that was about half my hand bigger than mine around my hand and shook, trying to give a smile by the looks of it.

I looked at him for a moment, just staring at his face, trying to think of something to say when someone called out my name. I turned automatically to see Steph running towards me. Her eyes got wider when they locked onto my hand in Andy's. I swear she could almost faint, I swear she would if she wasn't so proud. When she stopped beside us, her eyes lock on our hands was when I realised I had been holding onto his hand too long. I looked back to him, meeting his eyes again; giving a weak smile that mirrored his previous one and gave his hand a quick squeeze before letting go. I fought to rub my hand on my jeans; I didn't want to be rude but the warmth of his hand hung over mine and it was all too familiar. I didn't need this at the moment. I didn't need a warmth that I could come to need every day; I wasn't looking for a relationship. I wanted to get my name out to the world.

"Oh my God Rose! Bradie here was telling me this really funny thing-" Claire walked into the room, hanging off the arm of one of the guys that had walked into the shoot only minutes ago.

"Yeah, Bradie, what was this really funny thing?" Andy looked towards the man walking towards us with Claire.

"Oh nothing, just that Shaun's mad that you ran out in the middle of a good picture" Bradie met my eyes and smiled, oh my God that smile was amazing.

"Well go back in there and tell him I had better things to do – I'll be there in a minute" Andy gave me a sideways glance but I think it was more to tell Bradie something than to look at me.

"Nah, not going to take the fall for you – even though I love ya" he shook his head slightly then started to lead Claire back the way they had come, talking about her sitting in on their shoot.

"Pussy" Andy coughed.

"Meow" Bradie looked over his shoulder, smiling deeply – almost laughing.

It left Andy, Steph and I alone. My nerves threatened to get the better of me, I almost let them. 'Breathe Rose, you can deal with people looking at your face in magazines and judging you, you can deal with your assistant and one person' I tried to calm myself. What was wrong? I'm a confident person; no one threw me off – no one! I glanced at Steph – trying to tell her to leave with my eyes but she just stared at me with a smug look on her face.

"I hope you weren't planning on walking out there in those" she spoke quietly, as if she didn't trust her voice.

"Almost..."

"Andy! Get your ass in here, we need to get this done soon, practise is important you know" someone shout before I could finish my answer to Steph.

I smiled at Andy again, waving weakly, letting him go. I wouldn't want to get anyone in trouble. He flicked his fringe out of his eyes and stepped to the side blocking my view of the door into the back room, where the voice had come from. He held out his right hand. I thought he was going to shake my hand again but when I placed my hand in his, he pulled me into a hug and whispered as address into my ear.

"What?" I pulled back, almost too quickly.

"Seven o'clock" he called as he turned, running towards the back room.

"Seven o'clock?" Steph questioned, raising her eyebrows slightly giving me a look, just more emphasis on the problem she had with missing things.

I didn't answer her, I rushed to look for a pen – there was always one somewhere. I had to write the address and time down before I forgot. Not that I was going – not at all. I didn't need this; I have to work towards what I want. What do I want? My name in lights. My name out there. Someone to notice me. People noticing me as I walked down the street would be nice. I wanted what was just on the other side on the wall.

But which wall?

An… no, I wanted the big crowds. I wanted people screaming out my name when I walked through the street or when I got out of my car. I craved it the way a caffeine addict wanted coffee in the morning as soon as they woke up. I wanted what Andy had, what the whole band seemed to have. Everyone calling for their attention. Reaching for them so they could go and rave to their friends, claiming they had touched practically royalty. That kind of fame, the need for that kind of fame was what woke me up in the morning; that was my dream, almost my every thought. It was my every thought around the drink orders I tried to take for my day job at the Coffee Emporium.

When I finally found a pen I wrote the details down on my hand, trying to keep my writing as neat as possible. It was the least I could do – right? Even if I wasn't going – yeah, maybe I will. I gave one last look at Steph and started to walk toward the back room. I had to go through the set to get to the change rooms. I rolled my eyes, wrapping my arm through Steph's and joined her in walking away from the crowds. 'Goodbye, my lovelies, I'll be back soon' I called to them in my head, almost tempted to wave to them.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

We walked through the double doors the same way Short Stack had, or tried the best we could with only two people. Steph and I walked side by side, arm in arm, in perfect unison. It reminded me of something out of the movie Chicago but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Why did the lyrics "But I can't do it alone?" come to mind? Because that's how I felt as I walked back towards the change room, trying not to glance at the shoot in progress. The need to be in front of the camera grew with every flash. I risked a glance towards the band, taking in almost everything I could with a glare that only lasted seconds.

Somehow what they were wearing came together as they stood close to each other. Shaun, or who I was assuming was Shaun, stood in the middle looking straight at the camera, stiff in the red outfit that didn't do anything for him. Andy was on his left, wearing similar black pants but a black singlet that was a sharp contrast to Shaun's plain white shirt. Over it, Andy wore a green short sleeved cardigan like jacket that was done up over the tops of his jeans by the last two buttons. His face was all lines and edges, an arrogant bliss that reminded me of what my sister did when she was upset. It looked so much better on Andy though. I didn't get a chance to take in what Bradie was wearing. Andy noticed me starring and gave me a wink just as the camera flashed again.

"Andy – both eyes open would be nice," the photographer snapped in a boring monotone voice with a hint of anger.

'Someone doesn't like there job' I thought to myself.

I couldn't hide the giggle that threatened to escape my lips, I blushed and tried to walk slightly faster but Steph held onto my arm. She didn't want to go anywhere; she was going to drag this out for as long as possible. Damn it, why did my assistant have to like the thing I was trying to get away from? Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Andy's smile deepen. The smile didn't just deepen, it changed. It was almost heartbreaking. The best way I could describe it was heartbreaking, just as good to look at as Bradie's in its own way. The lip piercing gleamed under the light and all I could think about was doing him the pleasure of going to the address tonight. What was it though? Did I need to bring friends? I forced another smile to my face as Steph finally decided it was time to go. I looked at her, questioning but when she nodded towards Shaun I didn't need an explanation. Poor baby, he probably had millions of girls after him.

"Don't worry, his head is probably so far up his ass he can't see the sun shining," I tried to make it light, a joke, which she tried to laugh at but she seemed down, "Sorry".

"Thanks, babe, you tried" she messed up my hair and run into the change room.

I pushed the door open, ready to step through when a hand wrapped around my wrist. I turned, expecting to see Andy but I met a pair of eyes brown eyes.

"Why do you look so surprised, you rode in with me" Claire smiled, hugging me lightly around the waist.

"Just, expecting someone else" I hugged her back, trying to keep my voice neutral.

"Oh, Mr. Andy Clemmensen got your radar ringing?" she moved her eyebrows, giving me a seductive look that would have worked if I was a guy.

"No" my monotone might have actually convinced her but the fact that I responded too quickly made her think.

I loved to watch her think; you could see it on her face and just behind her eyes as things started to click together. I walked forward, reaching for my bag automatically opening it to check if everything was all there. As I rummaged through its contents the thought crossed my mind that Claire might have actually given up and dropped the subject, though it was unlucky. I grabbed my black jeans and the first shirt that came to my hand. I always had an extra shirt on me, for emergencies or a change for scenery. Never knew when I was going to have go from the smart, sensible attire I had to wear to work to a sexy top to get me a job or for a party.

I was never going to be late for anything again because my apartment was on the other side of the city. That was the only thing wrong about where I lived. It had the best view in the second biggest apartment in the best apartment building in the city but it was on the other side of the city. It was trouble when the Coffee Emporium was in the heart of everything and most of my modeling jobs came from the south end. Yes, I lived the high end, in the upper class and yes, I was still in the small leagues and not making a whole lot of money from what I loved but if big guys like Short Stack were still doing little things like this while that many people were running after them, who was to say I didn't have a chance.

"I should have known," she started to unzip the back of her dress; "Rosy you need to loosen up and have a bit of fun" I glared at her.

She knew I hated anything but Rose. No one but my father use Rosalyn, not that I thought it suited me but Rosy just felt too childish. I had tried saying it in the mirror once; I didn't see it going with my face. What I hated more was when my family and friends tried to get me to slow down when they know what I am working for and I'm so close to getting it. God, was my dream really too much to ask for? Claire smiled at me, sweetly but under it all I could see the evil plan forming together. I let out a sign, rolling my eyes and took my clothes to the nearest stall. Never know who could walk in here or when. Kicking the stall closed, I started to undo the button on my jacket. It was so soft, I didn't want to pull it away from my skin but how I had thought I was going to wear it outside with my trench was oblivious to me.

It was an incredibly hot day for late autumn and I was glad there had been an A/C in here. Pulling off the shirt made that good feeling leave and I was left fumbling to pull my shirt on. It was actually cold in here and having the shirt in place didn't help, there were too many holes and straps and not enough cloth. I had grabbed the wrong shirt. I tied the halter neck anyway, anything to cover up more skin, and stripped out of the jeans. I wriggled into my own par of off-white jeans that had a hole over one knee and on the thought of the other leg then walked out to see Claire. She was talking to Steph. I walked confidently towards my bag, placing the other clothes next to Steph's things when I got to the bench. I plunged my hand into my bag one more time, looking for my phone.

I pulled it out from the bottom of the bag along with my custom pallet and case that I carried with me at all times. It was small but solid, carrying the basics and the must haves. Mascara, eyeliner, foundation, lip liner, a lovely neutral lipstick that went with almost everything and all the brushed I need to apply all these products. The pallet was made up of a lot of neutral colors' as well but it had a few brighter colors that I wore often so I could make a statement when I wanted. I went to the sink, flicking through my phone finding I had missed two calls and had a text message from Lissa. I opened the message and glanced over it before closing my phone to place it in my butt pocket so I had both hands free to touch up my makeup.

'_Hey babe, _  
><em>we need to catch up! I haven't <em>  
><em>seen you since mum's b'day. <em>  
><em>I'll pick you up from your shoot on <em>  
><em>my way back from the airport. K?<em>  
><em>We'll have lunch or something.<em>  
><em>Luv sis<em>

Okay, I pulled out the wrong shirt but I stopped worrying about it when I read the text. I'll look heaps good for lunch with my sister of a year older than me. I may be a touch over the top but the green in the top matched my eyes and complimented my hair. I looked in the mirror, taking in my face, my hair and what I could do to it in a few minutes. Quickly calculating the times in my head, taking in all the factors I could think of like how long it would take to get from the plane to the car and Lissa's maniac driving, I got it down to I have about ten minutes until she would be here. In ten minutes I wouldn't able to do a whole lot… damn. I was just going to have to work with what I had.

My long firey red hair was loosely curled and didn't need more than a wide tooth comb ran through it. My eyes were too small for my face and no matter what I tried I could never give them an illusion of looking bigger but whenever I went to a job, something they did make my eyes pop. I don't know if it was the fake eyelashes, layers of mascara and eyeliner or the technique that Steph only ever used for shoots that made them hug but whatever it was I loved it. At the moment my eye shadow was a bronze shaded color, it was so beautiful for a moment I was tempted to leave it. It was too dark for what I was wearing. I ran some gold through it, brightening it while giving it a fresh, crisp look. Any trace of lipstick or gloss had already disappeared and I was just staining my lip with bright red or whore red, as my mother knew it, lipstick when I heard voices floating closer to the door.

"Did you not hear me? Do you need your hearing checked? My little sister is Rosalyn Sands, she is ex-" Lissa's unforgettable voice trailed off, she probably noticed who else was here.

"Lissa, in here darling," I called, fluffing my hair again.

The next thing to happen was so off, I was left standing in front of a mirror looking at the shocked look on my face. The door between here and the other room open so hard it hit the wall with a loud crack. Lissa step through giving a hushed scream, running towards me and wrapping her arms around my neck. I think was trying to say Shaun, Bradie, Andy and or Short Stack but the high shrill was enough to deafen me. The words were so blurred and high that all I got was the 'sh' sounds.

When she finally stopped and I was sure that she wasn't going to freak out anymore, I let her go. I stood for a moment, looking at her, trying to see any sign of what would have called this reaction from her. Lissa had never done the screaming thing, it didn't suit her. I didn't understand why it would start now. She hadn't even done it when we went to a meet and greet with Taylor Lautner, she had just sort of stood there looking at me and pointing him, mouthing 'Oh my God' and 'that's him'. She had loved Taylor for a long time; it had taken a good chunk out of her teenage years so I took it as the perfect surprise birthday present one year. She had been over the moon but not as high as she was now.

I kept my eyes on Lissa, tempted to stay where I was for a moment longer but I would never get anything done. Letting my eyes stay on her for as long as possible I went to my bag, shoving everything in it quickly and going for my thongs, wishing I had brought nicer shoes.

"Where do you want to go for lunch?" I pulled my bag up my arm, letting it sit on my arm lightly.

"Oh nowhere in particular" she blinked, blindly, as if it was still sinking in.

"Are you okay to drive or am I going to fight you for the keys?" I wrapped my arm in hers, starting to take her back towards the door.

"I'm fine," her voice was a little breathy and slightly too high, "Fine" it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself not me.

"Okay, if you say so," I looked back over my shoulder, waving at Claire and Steph, "See ya! I'll call you later; Jasmine wants to catch up for dinner".

"Okay, babe, talk to you soon" Claire smiled, opening and closing her hand in what she called a wave.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Sitting at one of the small round tables of the Coffee Emporium, I sipped my Mocha glancing around quickly with my eyes. Worried? Nah, not me. Why would I be worried? I was just waiting for Lissa to start the interrogation about Short Stack and lunch wasn't enough to take my mind off that. Lunch didn't consist of much, it never did. Just hot drinks, a shared melted cheese sandwich and senseless chatter that even today I didn't feel like trying to distract myself with. I think Lissa was talking about tickets to a show she was either going to or had seen but my thoughts wonders about the address and time written on my hand. What kind of social gathering was this going to be? Since when had I thought I was going?

"So did you want to come?" Lissa spoke in a tone of voice that suggested she had asked this question already.

"Yeah, sounds good" I pulled my phone out of my pocket, opening the internet and went straight to twitter.

If it was anything big, he would have posted it on twitter, he seemed like the type of person not that I knew him that well. He gave that feeling that was hard to explain. If I had to describe Andy in two words I would say over confident, everything about him radiated confidence. His walk, his posture, the off slightly arrogant look he gave the camera, it all burned its way through to the base of my mind. The way his jeans clung to his legs and rode just below his hips when he walked was something that I didn't think I paid any attention to but when I found myself blushing at the thought that clung to the front of my brain I knew I had taken more notice than I thought. At first glance, anyone would say confident, there was no real way to deny it but when I had clarified about the crowd there had been something in his eyes that suggested something else. It said that he felt just like everyone else. That he had real emotions and it wasn't going to do the arrogant, confidence all the time.

My page loaded slowly, I took a small bit of my half of the sandwich. Chewing on the cheese with more care than needed, I watched as post after post popped up as people updated and my page caught up with all that I had missed. Lissa kept talking about whatever she was talking about, her voice a distant murmured in the background. She seemed really absorbed in it, absorbed enough not to notice that I wasn't listening just as I was giving enough attention to what I was doing I probably wouldn't notice if she got up and walked away. Touching my keys lightly, I typed 'Andy Clemmensen' into the search bar, hoping that something would come up. It would be nice to know what his guy thought of himself. I looked up, meeting Lissa's eyes as my phone began to load again and she continued to talk. Apparently the conversation had moved onto a guy that she met in Paris. He had been a photographer or something - either way she thought that he would be able to help me.

"Rose. Rose, are you listening to me?" she touched my arm, lightly but enough to get my attention.

"Nah, sorry," I glanced down at my phone again, how do you tell your sister that you got asked to a Short Stack party, especially when that sister is kind of in love with the lead singer?

"Well?" she gave me wide eyes and a questioning look.

"Andy," I looked down at the phone again, yes there it was, and the latest post, "Andy invited me to a party" I held up the phone for her to read.

_'Modal photo shoot, Practice tonight in the club scene. Sorry Ladies better luck next time'_

Okay, so I had been right about the party. Now, I couldn't go alone. I was not going to hang out in an unfamiliar house filled with unfamiliar people without back up. Hell no! Jesus, when did I say I was going? I had to. I did kind of want go, maybe just a little bit but I was not going alone. Not by any chance. Why was I doing this to myself? I watched Lissa's face as she read over the twitter page. Unlike Claire, reading Lissa's face was a challenge. It was mostly blank a lot of the time, it was only when she got really upset or really happy - any great emotions - was when it started to show on her face. I enjoyed the challenge most of the time too but today I had no patience, I just wanted it to be over and for her to voice her opinion. The neutral face stuck out, not going with what she was wearing today but it was very rarely the look ever met her cloths.

Her style consisted of dark blue-grey jeans but I absolutely detested, a plain shirt under a grey jumper like shirt that usually had a slogan or vague drawing on the front in pinks and white with a cream-white beanie that did not going with the shape of her face. I don't know what she saw in what she wore but all I knew is that she liked it and she did not see something that could have past of a semi well-dressed bum that I saw. Yeah, jeans, t-shirts and jumpers were what she liked and sometimes I didn't mind it when she got the combinations right or when she picked something that matched her features. Today, it was dress slacks with a button down blouse that was plain white. It would have passed as her business attire except she wore red converse all stars and a thick coat that somehow went with everything but didn't. I had been about to ask her if she was alright when suddenly she leaned in.

"I hope you're planning on going to this," she whispered before standing up and waving someone over, "Jake, over here!" her smiled was huge as she sat down.

"Who," I took my phone back; picking up my cup and pulling it close to my chest as I leaned back into the deep chair.

"This was the guy I was telling you about," she looked down at me before shaking hands with a man almost a head and a half taller than her, "Rose met Jacob McCoy. Head of Style Magazine" they both looked at me with the same stars in their eyes, like they were looking at an angel.

"Please, call me Jake," he reached out a huge hand that I was worried about shaking, how was I supposed to hold onto that kind of way, "I've heard so much about you" his smile seemed generally sincere.

"Oh, all good things I hope. Style Magazine, Mr. McCoy? I'm impressed, if my sister told you one true thing about me it should have been that it is practically my dream to be one of your main featured models" I managed to shake the giant hand and sit back down gracefully.

Lissa motioned for Jacob to sit down in the empty seat that was between Lissa and me. It looked as if he was to decline the invitation to join us but suddenly thought differently after giving me another stare. I smiled sweetly, trying to keep my real feelings of unease off my face. It wasn't the fact that he was giving me attention and I didn't mind looking at him but there was a point where it was too much attention. I think I had found that point. As he sat down, pulling the chair closer, his dark suit jacket fell open, framing the lower torso. His shirt was perfectly whitely, pure with no stain or the impression of graying in sight. It gave his skin a slight tan look that lessened the blow of thick, dark lashes framing two different colored eyes that hid behind thick framed glasses. He smiled at me again, giving me a glance at what he would have looked like in high school. It made an example of smile lines and freckles but the smile was bright enough to make a room full of sad memories happy.

"You know I would never say anything to embarrass you… much" Lissa pulled her cup to her mouth, quickly once she finished talking.

"Why don't you swing by the studio later? Some of the other girls are really lacking your elegance and grace for the cover" Jacob pulled out a card from the front pocket of the jacket.

"Sweet talker, Lissa, you sure he didn't charm you into this set up?" I took the card, laughing lightly.

I glanced over the card, looking at the writing that glistened under direct light. It was neat, straight cut like Jacob call me Jake and simply screamed sophistication. It had the impression of him, or what you could see was him from first glance, which gave it a nice almost personal touch. The number was a smaller text that was also easier to read but the off white of the card made the silvery writing easy to read. I looked up from the card, giving another friendly smile that started to feel less forced. Jakes smile go brighter as he lifted his cup to his mouth. He took a quick sip of his drink and glanced down at the shiny, gold watch on his wrist.

"Okay, so I got to buzz. Things to do, people to meet," he stood slowly, smiling at us, "Call me, I would love to work on you" he gave me a wink that was similar to Andy's.

I waved politely as he as he walked away. His movements were precise and strong, he walked as if he had somewhere he needed to be. It was a good walk, a strong walk. A walk that I would imagine on a leader, he took a slip of his drink every few steps. The action looked almost like it was forced; I didn't spend much time focusing on him. Just enough focus to know that he was leaving then I pulled out my phone again. I took a massive bite out the half a melted cheese sandwich, no longer thinking about what I was chewing just letting the warmth fill me up. My fingers brushed over the small keys of my phone, quickly as I thought about what I wanted to say then I sent a mass text out to Claire, Jasmine and Nicky.

_'Hey  
>what are you up to?<br>Who's up for a party?  
>Luv Rose'<em>


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Parked out the front of the house that belonged to the address written on my hand I sat shotgun in my sister's car, the leather shiny, clean and smelling like the cinnamon body spray that she had just soaked me in. Everyone I had sent the message out to earlier had been available and sat in the back seat, touching up make-up pr adjusting straps. Lissa sat in the driver's seat, ranting about how we all looked fine and that we just needed to get out of the car but no was listening, least of all me. I was too worried about my now lack of clothing. Lissa had brought back presents from Paris and had somehow convinced me to put mine on. While she called it a shirt, I called it a piece of cloth.

It tied up around my neck and then again around my waist and only covered the front halve of my body from about my neck to my waist. It was a beautiful colour, a light turquoise and Lissa was right when she said I could pull it off but it was the fact that I had no idea what was going to go on tonight and it was an unfamiliar top. Anything could happen tonight, the top could do anything. I was going to have to be careful, really careful. Lissa had let me keep my pants, though she wanted me to change them she settled for a swap in shoes. I didn't fight her; I didn't really want to be walking around in thongs tonight. My feet were framed by gold heels with straps crossing over my feet at my ankles and around the area above the ball of my foot.

The change of clothes meant a change of make-up as well but instead of putting on a colour or something that would stand out I went for simple and semi natural. Not much to it at all. Lissa had finally given up on trying to get us out of the car as I started to pull at my hair, she cranked up the radio, trying to get it to play loud over the beat that rang out from the house and started to sing along with the lyrics. It was something that was hard on the ears, a song that would be better played out loud and in an open area. I looked in the small mirror one last time, deciding that this was as good as it was going to get without being later than we already were.

"Are you sure you don't want to come in?" I stepped out of the car carefully, looking at Lissa over my shoulder.

"Yeah, sure," she rolled her eyes, "Of course I want to come in but I need to rescued my poor clothes from their prisons and I look like something that has just been dragged out of a war zone. I'm pretty sure after my actions at the shoot, I may not be ready to show my face to Shaun just yet" she smiled as everyone else got out of the car and she remained in.

"Come on, babe. They probably see that almost every day and you fine" I fought to keep the sarcasm out of my voice and succeed.

"I'll be at home, call or text if you need a ride home" she leaned over and pulled the passenger side door shut.

I waved as she started up the engine, the roar rung out over the thumping music coming from inside. I looked at my friends, Claire being slightly in front of what an outsider would probably call a pack. She looked great in her red tank and tight pencil skirt that started at her waist and finished half way down her thighs. The red heels were a bit of and over kill, making her too tall but they went nicely with the outfit and complimented her natural tan skin which was the shade of caramelised honey. She had her hair up in a high pony tail, the hair falling down to just past her shoulders even with it hanging in tight ringlets.

Nikky was standing near the back of the group, her back set in a straight line and a look on her face that suggested she was going to run to her car at any moment. I wouldn't blame her; she had barely let her one year old out of her sights since her aggressive ex-boyfriend had smashed the windows in her house. She had been a single teenage mum after the ex got her knocked up and her parents kicking her out of the house. She looked great for an over stress new mum and for that, plus the fact she had been the hardest to get here, I was not going to let her leave; not unless it was an emergency.

The baby was staying with Nikky's older brother. He was about twenty-three years old and had wanted nothing to do with his parents after they had kicked his sister out. Nikky wore a basic black dress that grabbed her curves and showed of the perfect flat stomach she had worked so hard for after having her baby. She had four inch solid heels to give the dress a better finish. Her blond hair was piled on top of her head, using more pins then I have ever used in my own life to hold it in place. Her make-up was also very artistic, somehow managing to be dark and light at the same time. To finish her look her hands were cased in leather fingerless gloves and a pair of ripped fishnets decorated her legs.

Jasmine was the more normal looking one out of all of us. Standing in the middle of our group she stood in her plain blue jeans. Her silver, glittered heel pushed her to just above average height when she was usually under like me. The shirt was cute. It left her shoulders and stomach uncovered, letting her belly ring glisten under light. Her dark hair had been straightened stick straight, framing her face more than her usual full fringe that covered a forehead that didn't match the rest of the face uncovered. Dark eyes were framed by thick eyelashes too thick to be real with dark, almost mysterious, eye shadow. Her full lips, set in a permanent pout, were coated in a beautiful pink that matched everything about her.

These were my friends, my beautiful friends, I loved them all. I looked them, my eyes falling on each for a few moments, leaving Nikky for last. When I made it to her, I walked through the middle of the group and hugged her as close to me as I could get. Whispering in her ear, I moved my arm to take her hand, gently. I turned back to the rest of them. I opened my ram up for the first person who wanted it, which happened to be Claire, then hugged her in close too. Jasmine smiled, coming in to wrap her around Nikky's waist.

"Thanks – late notice, I know but I wasn't going to do this by myself" I spoke as confident as I could, taking my first step towards the house.

"Anytime, darling, more notice was always a luxury with you" Nikky laughed tightly, she was worried.

"You know me, always up for a party but who's is this?" Jasmine smiled, lifting her eyebrows.

"Oh, no one really" I did my best to keep the worry off my face.

We walked up to the front door, the closer we got then louder the music got. The beat was enough to make it feel like my heart was beating along with it. Jasmine let go of Nikky, stepping up to the door bell. She touched it lightly and it rung but it was barely heard over the music. The front door was shut and the music was the only thing that could be heard on the street. There was a muffled crashing sound then a roar of mixed voices cheered. The door opening was the next thing to happen. At first there was no one at the door then a head popped out from the opposite side of which the door had swung. It wasn't anyone I recognized.

"Yes?" he spoke in a creep voice that was obviously not his.

"Oi, Chris! Get the fuck away from that door!" that voice I knew, I just needed a face to put it to, "Hello, Rose. Nice of you to join us," Shaun came to the door, unlocking the flyscreen and pushing it open, "Andy told me you would be coming" he smiled, stepping out of the way.

"I brought a couple of friends. I hope that's okay" I stepped through the threshold suddenly very aware of my tattoo at the base of my back.

"Yeah, the more the merrier," he glanced over each of my friends as they stepped through the door frame, "Drinks are in the kitchen" Shaun stepped back, flicking his fringe out of his eyes in an action I could only place as similar to Andy's action earlier.

He made a motion for us to follow him and I quickly fell into step with him. The others hung back, checking everything out. What were they worried about? I looked over my shoulder, waving them forward. 'What's wrong?' I mouthed to anyone who was actually looking at me. They were all looking in different directions, at the walls, at the picture on the walls but it was more like they were just looking, no one was really taking anything in. Was I the only one here that didn't know who Short Stack were? I didn't think anyone had seen my gesture but Claire eagerly stepped up to stand with me, smiling sweetly at Shaun when he looked to see who had joined us.

"Claire, right?" he smiled again as she nodded, "Bradie's shy, though you shouldn't really worry about him" the smile never budged.

I don't believe it, was he flirting with her? Good for her and all but didn't she like Bradie. Who was he to know? Um, he was there while she was going all out to try and impress Bradie or whatever she was trying to do when she was running around after him during the shoot. Though, a little flattering never hurt anyone. Not really. Claire looked down at her feet, fighting a smile as her cheeks went a delicate pink. I tried to hold a smile, my mouth twitching a little around the corners; I wasn't used to being over looked.

As we went further into the house, the music got louder and it soon became too hard to hear anyone. We came to the main room, people were scattered everywhere. A group of people where standing off to the side, near the window, they were trying to talk by the looks of it. Somehow they understood each other, continuing their conversation as we walked through the middle of the room to get to the next one. A couple sat on the couch, their lips locked to together, making no sign of needing to come up for air any time soon or that they had noticed us walk through. Chris, the guy who met us at the door, met us again at the kitchen though this time he was with a girl about his height. They smiled at us as we pasted each other going through the large doorway to what looked like it should be a kitchen.

"Don't feel the need to stay with me" I shouted at Claire when I saw Andy sitting on one of the benches on the far wall with a beer in his hand.

She nodded, laughing lightly and turned back to the rest of our group. Shaun went to the fridge; I almost let my eyes follow the mess of hair that went past my vision along the way. My eyes went back to Andy, he was smiling in my direction but it wasn't at me. The smile was lope sided, kind of droopy. He was on the verge of being drunk. I scratched an inch on the back of my neck that wasn't there, using it as an excuse to let a glance slip over my shoulder. The guy that had been making out with the girl before was behind me, obviously done with her and had been paying me enough attention when I walked in to know who I was.

I don't completely understand what he was doing but something said it was supposed to be insulting to me or funny to Andy. When I looked, he was sort of standing around; giving what I think was supposed to be a blank face. I was in the motion of turning back around when I caught some of what he was doing out the corner of his eye. I looked back to Andy, smiling slightly but I couldn't make it reach my eyes. I couldn't make it feel like anything. I really didn't want to be here. Why had I come? I tried to ignore the guy behind me, making faces and motions that were insulting to all the women at this party. Andy just smiled, something that wasn't quite right but when he got up, his posture was fine and he could walk. How many beers had he actually had? Enough to make his slightly tipsy but still okay or did he just hold his liquor well?

I didn't have much time to think about it. He walked straight towards me and I was ready to follow along with him but when he went past me, I just followed with my eyes. I turned in time to see his smile deepen as he came to stand next to his friend. He half stood next to him half leaned on him as his free went around and slapped the other guy in the back of the head. The motion was pretty smooth, and the other guy jerked away fast enough to make himself stumble. He had drunk too much already. I stared at the two of them, trying to make out what kind of relationship they had but either my eyes wasn't seeing this right or my brain was putting the pieces together properly because I wasn't making any sense of it.

"Do you want a drink?" Shaun held out an open beer bottle out towards me.

"Better not, I don't hold it very well" I smiled, shaking my head.

"If you say so" he shrugged and took a mouthful from the bottle.

I turned back to where I thought Andy and friend had been but they were gone. I rolled my eyes as if I had expected it or it was something I was used to and walked back to the lounge room. I kept my head down; trying to keep walking at an even pace, not taking anything. I was going to find someone I knew. I needed to talk, just talk with a normal person about anything. Claire, I should find Claire, she would know exactly what to say to get my mind off what was going on. What had I been thinking? Coming here was not a good idea, I didn't know what to expect and I don't know anyone here. Why had I even though about coming? I should have listened to myself when I said I wasn't going to go. I didn't know Andy, I should have declined.

Deep in my thoughts I didn't expect anything. I was watching where I was going, in an unfamiliar house. I could have run into a wall or something but I didn't. I ran into a person. What was worse? I looked up hopelessly, ready to apologize to whomever it was but my voice caught in my throat when I saw the breathtaking smile of Bradie.

"I'm sorry" he beat to the punch.

"No, it was entirely my fault," I was left shaking my head again, "Have you seen Claire?" knowing her, she would have gone to look for him straight away… unless Shaun had taken her attention.

"She's just over there," he point over his shoulder, "I'm getting her a drink. Did you want one?" his eyebrows narrowed a bit, how clear was it that I was not having a good time?

I looked in the direction he had pointed, seeing Claire on a couch with its back to the window. She waved to me, a smile bigger than I had ever seen broke out across her and I realised this was going to be a long night.

"Yeah, sure, thank you" I turned slightly as he began to walk back the way I came.

He walked differently to Andy, everyone walked differently but this was different. They all walked similarly but where Andy had confidence, Bradie walked somewhat stiffly. It was like he had no idea what he was doing or like he was second guessing himself. I turned back to Claire, and went towards her. After thinking about walking I wondered how I walked. Self conscious about what I was doing made me walk slightly faster. I sat down next to Claire as soon as I got her. I didn't want to worry about it anymore. I sat with my body facing forward but my head was turned to look at her brightly lit face. Someone was rather happy today.

"Wow, Shaun was right. Bradie is shy" there was a twinkle to her eyes, like she had just found a cure to cancer.

"Shaun was flirting with you" her face went slightly serious.

"What?" she sounded genuine like she hadn't actually noticed.

"Shaun was…" I was going to repeat myself but she smacked me in the arm.

I looked back and saw Bradie coming back. Okay. I rubbed my arm, where she had hit me. Bloody hell that had hurt, all I could hope for was that it wouldn't bruise. Please, don't let it bruise. I smiled as Bradie walked towards us, balancing three dark brown bottles between two hands. I watched as the darker liquid swayed in the glass bottle as he moved, it got dangerously close to falling over the edge as a guy walked past him with two girls on his arm. They all were hammered, not walking straight and talking way too loudly about subjects no one else needed to hear about. He handed us our drink as soon as he got to us, just as I had sat down as soon as I got to the couch.

"Thanks" Claire and I chimed together.

"Cheers" Bradie held out his glass.

"Cheers" Claire tapped her glass to his.

"Cheers" I echo, raising up my bottle not quite making it to tap against theirs.

They each took a drink of theirs with mine being the last to touch my lips and the last to leave.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

I stumble out of my car, my sunglasses shielding my eyes from what seemed like harsh sun and fought my way to the door of the café in which I worked. My glasses weren't tinted dark enough, too much light was still getting through and I was squinting in effort make my eyes hurt less. The sound level on any other day would have been fine but today, when a truck went past it made my head ache more and made the risk of me spilling my coffee all over my clean apron. I was almost two hours late, only an hour and a half later than I usually was but it was the fact that I was always late that made this worse. I always over slept, I always missed my morning alarm on the days I had to go to work but never like this.

I had drunk so much last night. It had been to the point where I was only remembering bits and pieces of what had happened last night. I remember the first bottle, the second and it started to go fuzzy around the third or the fourth. As I had told Shaun, I didn't deal with my liquor well but what was good, I wasn't remembering if I had thrown up… yet. What I did remember was being slightly too loud while talking to Jasmine and Nikky. Wow, why did I go and get hammered? I also remember laughing… a lot, there had been so much laughter, I had been so happy. I think there was a point where we had all been in the kitchen for something but I wasn't sure. It was all coming back in pieces.

I stepped lightly, wishing I hadn't worn the heels this morning. Not because I wasn't walking straight though I was trying my best, it was best the clicking that sounded every time the heel hit the ground sounded like a drum in the back of my head. Each sound drilled through my head, piercing my eardrums making me feel worse each time. I went to push on the door and ended up having to use my whole body mass to move it. I leaned on the door as it slowly fell open under my touch. Please, please, please say Nathan was not here… or in the back room. I didn't need him to see me like this; he was already only barely putting up with me while I was only coming late.

All the lights were on when I stepped into the café. All the lights were bright, sending out a glary white light, not like the lights at my house which send out an orange-yellow light. The T.V. was going, playing the morning news though pointless because the sound was on mute with "Mine" by Taylor Swift playing through the speakers around the shop. Had the radio always been this loud? I don't think so. I took my coat off, carefully and slowly. I hung it over my arm as I readjusted the way my bag sat on my right shoulder. I continued walking through the café, trying to stay out of people's way.

Grace waved to me as I went past her and I didn't my best to so that I had seen her but I needed to get my stuff out of sight. I needed to be behind the counter and acting like I had been here for at least an hour. Logan was standing behind the counter at the moment, smiling and taking an order from a young lady that seemed too enthusiastic about getting a coffee. I don't know, maybe she really liked coffee but something about the way she pushed her golden blond hair out of her eyes told me she was enjoying the view more. I couldn't disagree with her; Logan was a sight for sore eyes or, really, any eyes.

He was tall, almost six foot three with wide shoulders and a defined jaw line. He had dark hair a few shades darker than chocolate brown eyes that were framed by glasses. He usually wore contacts so the sight of thick black frames in front of his face made me stop and speculate for a second. His hair was styled as usual, spiked straight up on the top and careless, lying how it wanted to on the sides and at the back. He had sun-kissed skin though at a shade you could only call natural. Thick eyelashes that always framed his face were dark enough that if they were on anyone else I would accuse them of having fake eyelashes on… or at least mascara.

I clumsily rushed past everyone, getting to the locker room. I shoved my bag in my locker, which was never locked. It was never shut for that matter unless I had stuff in there… should probably do something about that. I pulled my tan trench coat off in more clumpy movements then needed, pushing that in with everything else. I slammed the door, regretting it as I ran back to the counter. My hands were at my back, checking my apron was tied up, tucking in the rest of my white blouse into black slacks. The green apron was horrid; it should out for a dark green with white script on it stating who we are. If I wore mine the way it was supposed to be worn, the front of my body would be covered in the dark forest green with my name and 'The Coffee Emporium' over the right side of my chest. It was ugly. I had cut the neck ties off long ago and now just folded the top half back, wearing it only to cover my pants.

I was about to step through the only doorway between me and my job when Nathan stepped into my view then into my path. I looked up into deep, emerald green eyes. I suddenly felt very small against the well built figure of my boss, the only one to be able to seem physically imposing to me. I smiled weakly, giving him my best innocent eyes, trying to look helpless and not annoying.

"Hi Nathan" I spoke in a small voice.

"Jesus, Rose," he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, "You know what, I don't need this right now. All I have to say is, you better not be hung-over" he shook his head as he walked away.

I stood in my place, blinking with a surprised looking on my face like an idiot. I was expecting more than that. He usually yells at me… or something. Being half an hour late earned me a serious talk or lately a yell about how this business was going under enough without me being late. Now, turning up an hour late with a splitting headache and all the signs of being hung-over I get away with 'you better not are hung-over'. What was going on? I had missed another memo. I don't have time to worry about this. I continued towards Logan and the lady doing a poor job of flirting with him. Dear God, if only she knew he didn't swing that way.

"Sorry, Logan," I quickly glanced over the ladies order on the screen, "Would you like cream with that?" I smiled as sweetly as I could.

"Um, no thanks" the smile she had been giving Logan earlier was gone, her face now filled with hostility.

"It's okay, Rose, I got this. You've been switched to waitressing anyway," I couldn't fight a groan, "Go work your magic" the phrase didn't suit his voice just like the voice didn't suit the rest of the attitude but I went.

I only worked till three, it was already ten, I had missed the morning rush but this was going to be a long day. I was supposed to be behind the counter until the lunch rush but now I was stuck with Grace, the teenage science dork, who always wanted to talk to me. It would be fine if it wasn't always about Nathan or some guy, Mike, at her school that she liked. I swear she would be talking about Logan too if she didn't know that he was gay. I didn't know what it was, maybe she went for what she couldn't have or maybe it was every girl at that age but I swear I was going to lose it if I heard another word about either guy. Oh, please, let me not have been like that at seventeen.

"Hi Grace" I tried for chipper as I grabbed tray, ready to clear table seventeen.

"Wow, Rose, you don't look so good" she pushed a thick lock of dark hair behind her ear.

"Thanks Grace but I think the idea is that you don't tell a hung-over person that they look like shit" I started to walk to the table as soon as the couple went for the door.

I was hoping she wouldn't follow but I wasn't going to turned around to make sure she hadn't just in case she got the wrong idea. This girl could have a good personality – I swear, she could. She just seemed to rub people up the wrong way. She seemed to do everything wrong. She used to have to most beautiful shade of brown hair I had ever seen but one day she comes in with this really bad dye job in blue-black. For about a week she couldn't do anything right, it started with breaking a few glasses and ended in her spilling an order over the birthday girl and her best friend. Nathan had sat her down, they had talked for about an hour and in the end he had come to me and asked me to look out her. What was I to do but look out for her?

Grace was fine when we were all talking in a big group as most of the staff did at the end of the day. We would all hang around in the locker room, sipping various hot drinks while Nathan went over the books and just talked. Sometimes Nathan would join us. Grace tended to hang towards the back, kind of next to me but still behind me. She would pitch in, laugh at the bad jokes Brad made like the rest of us but she would never start the conversation. Like she tried to do with me while we were alone. Who else was supposed to be out here on the floor with us today?

"Sorry," she mumbled looking down at her feet, "Um Nikky called, said she tried to call you. James is sick, she not going to be in till lunch" it looked as if she had tried to look at me but her eyes didn't focus long enough to be sure.

"Okay," I took each cup of the table one at a time, placing it carefully on the tray, "Have met her little boy?" I tried to sound curious as I wiped the table down.

"Yeah, he gorgeous never would have thought he was his father's son if he didn't have dark hair" she turned her tray around in her hands.

"Doesn't Nikky's dad have dark hair, though?" we walked slowly back to the counter.

"I suppose, I'm not too close to Nikky to really know. I only met her son when she came in with him 'cus her brother was picking him up from here" she helped me unload the cups onto the bench.

The though almost made me laugh. Nikky bringing her son into the coffee shop, I could see her trying to do her work while James lay in Nathan's office. I could also see Nathan ripping out his short blond hair because James would be constantly crying for mum. It was true though. James looked everything like his beautiful mother except for the dark hair. Nikky would have found it easier to escape the horrible nightmare she was living in too if her child didn't always remind her of him. The child was like Andy in some twisted sort of way. As in you saw one thing on the outside but you could look into those beautiful eyes and see something you didn't expect. James, being every bit like his mother, he would have lie quietly in Nathan's office until Ben had decided to show up.

I sat down on the empty stool on the end of the counter and sighed as another young couple walked into this little slice of heaven, hand in hand, eyes locked. They almost ran into the elderly couple trying to walk out. Somehow they didn't get in each other's way, in some way that my hung-over brain couldn't comprehend; they made it through the door safely. Grace, standing awkwardly close beside me, smiled when she though the couple looked this way but as she would soon realised, they didn't see her. The longer you stayed on this job the more you realise that the costumers don't actually see you unless you're taking their order, giving them their order or spilling their order on them. It was a cruel fact but true and just like the rest of us, Grace was going to learn. It was the only thing that kept me in my chair while she had smiled. If I hadn't known it, I would have stood up or sat slightly straighter or at least made myself look helpful. But I did know, so I wasn't going to waste energy I didn't have.

"Isn't that sweet?" Grace looked out across the room blankly, her voice slightly distant.

"Yeah, sweet" I pulled my sunnies from the top of my head and placed them over my eyes.

"Don't you just wish you could have that?" I closed my eyes and tried to push everything to the back of my mind.

"Nope" I left that single word hanging thick in the air between us and tried to go to sleep.

I woke to the feeling of falling as my chair started to pull backwards. Suddenly, very awaked I shot up, wobbling on my heels and looked around to see who had disturbed my beauty sleep all before my headache came crashing back. Crap – I had fallen asleep… out in the main room of the café. The sun was glaring into the room through the glass walls that were the front of the shop. It was strong and warm meaning I had slept through the lunch rush and it was now afternoon. Damn it. This day hopefully wouldn't get any worse; I was going to be lucky not to get fired.

"Quick tip now, Nathan is about to step out of the office which he has been in all day," I turned to see Logan behind my chair, sweeping the floor, "That means get that piece of ass out on the floor and make it look like you've been there all day" he gave me a gentle push towards an empty table that needed cleaning.

I quickly grabbed a tray and walked towards the table. Head up high, back straight… and why was it so dark in here? I raise my hand to rub my eyes and found my glasses still sitting on my nose. I placed the tray on the edge of the table, balancing it carefully between my hip and the table. I pushed he glass up and into my hair, taking my fringe with it. I had just start to pull the plates off the table and stack then on my tray as Nathan stepped out of the office. As if it was pre organized the song changed to "Bad to the Bone" by George Thorogood. I pulled my head down lower, suddenly very interested in trying to get the coffee stain off the dark wooden table. I tried to go unnoticed.

"Rose, can you take the counter for a second?" the sound of Nathan's voice made me jump.

"Yes" my voice wavered but Nathan didn't notice.

I took the tray of empty glasses and plate round to the back of the counter, placing it carefully on the stand next to the silver metal doors that lead through to the kitchen. I stepped up behind the computer, looking over what had gone on while I was out while rubbing my hands on my apron. It was quarter to three, almost the end of my shift. I had slept through my whole shift. Nikky had been the last one to use the computer for an order placed under the name Smith. I looked up at Nicky as she waved before following Nathan into his office with a blank look on her face. What was going on? I tried not to think about it as the next costumer stepped up with a big smile that reached his sea water blue eyes.

"Hi, can I have a large espresso and regular mocha to go, please" the smile got smaller as he spoke but I typed in the order.

"Late night?" I tried to distract him with small talk while I looked for the right buttons.

"Yeah, big project due tomorrow" he looked around.

"That comes to six fifty" I smiled, letting it reach my eyes.

He smiled again, handing me the money in coins. I counted it out to seven dollars and gave him his change. The smile got bigger as I waved him off with a 'good luck'. The next costumer was lady who looked like the girl earlier who tried to flirt with Logan. I gave her a bitter smile and took down everything she wanted. It went like clockwork this job. It started with the greeting from polite people then they place an order. If needed, you ask them if they want cream, if they'll be having anything else or if they are going in eat in or take away. You tell them the price, they pay and you're done. Now to the next person. The day went slow if you tried to focus on every individual person but if you learned to switch off the part of your brain that kept track of time it seemed to go faster.

At three Nathan came out of his office, Nikky tracking behind him trying to hide a pleased look. I smiled as she took back the counter and went back to the locker room. Brad was already in there, getting ready for his shift, placing things into his locker and checking his phone. I went straight to the locker, barely looking at him. I opened the door and grabbed my bag, pulling out my phone. I quickly checked for any messages, finding the one from Nikky and a missed call from Lissa. She had only called once so it couldn't have been too important. I pulled off the apron, shoving it deep inside my bag before checking to see if I had spilt anything on it that could ruin anything inside the bag.

"You're checking out on time. Did you come on time for once?" Brad laughed.

"You're checking you phone more than usual. Are you sleeping on the couch again?" I turned to the mirror on my locker door.

"No" Brad grumbled and walked out.

I took my stuff, placing it all where it needed to be and hung my bag over my right shoulder. I walked out of the locker room but instead of going straight for the door, I went to Nathan's office. The lights were on so he was in there. He never had the lights on if he wasn't there. I knocked on the door a couple of times and was about to give up when he opened the door with a smile on his face. I watched as the smile dropped slightly but he stepped out of the way and let me through. I walked to the front of his desk while he went to his seat.

"What's up, Rose?" he sounded tired.

"I was wondering if I could have tomorrow off" I stayed standing, planning on not being here long.

"Why?" he shuffled papers around.

"My sister has just gotten back from Paris and has got me a cover shoot. This may be my break, please Nathan, I know how much you want me out of your hair" I watched as the thought of saying no passed across his face but I had hit him in the right spot.

"Yeah, okay, you can tomorrow off. Can you do Monday?" he looked straight into my eyes.

"Yeah, totally… I'll even be there on time" I turned to almost run from his office before he changed his mind.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

I drove home with the radio down low while my brain tried to process what I was going to say to Jake when I called him. Trying to keep both hands on the wheel was proving to be harder that it was supposed to be. Hung-over and wanting sleep made me fidget. A growing itch just under my eyes was giving me problems. No matter how much I scratched it, it kept itching. The high voice of Kate Miller-Heidke singing 'The Last day on earth' through my speakers bothered me, made my headache worse but it was a calming song, good for background noise. I had my phone connected to my cars Bluetooth but after I connected it when I got in the car I sort of forgot about it. When it rang out throughout the car it was loud and unexpected, making my head hurt more but somehow it triggered a memory from last night that had been buried deeply because suddenly I was watching the rerun.

I got up from the couch where I had sat with Claire and Bradie to drink the first couple of beers, I was meant to be grabbing the next round of beers but the crowd of guys in the middle of the kitchen, surrounding the island bench caught my attention before I even made it to the fridge. A girl, no taller than I was stood on top of the bench in a short red dress dancing to a beat only she could hear. Her movements too slow for anything that rung throughout the house. While my eyes focused on her and the way she involved the audience with small gestures, I thought she was dancing alone. When I forced my eyes to focus on the bigger picture I saw that she was up there dancing with Andy, whispering in his ear and taking big long drinks from his bottle. I stood on the outer edge of the room, watching as she tried to seduce him in front of everyone. Somehow it seemed like she was dancing for each person in the room, giving them each some time to show them just enough but leaving them wanting more. Andy, looking her up and down smiling, was laughing and going along with it. Then suddenly, as if he sensed my disapproval, his head snapped in my direction, his eyes sobering up almost instantly. I only stood there long enough to see the crowd part as Andy started to hope down before I turned back to the fridge.

I came back to the present, the phone still ringing throughout the car and wondering how that had anything to do with my phone ringing. I tried to find the connection, sifting through my memories quickly while reaching for the pick up button on the Bluetooth. What was the connection? Why was that important? I touched the button and wanted for some kind of sound that told me the line had connected. When nothing sounded I spoke.

"Hello?" I had to speak louder so the mic would pick it up.

"Rose? Hey, what's going on?" Lissa's voice was slightly worried but strong, "You were pretty drunk when you came home last night and you left before I got up" the sound of pots and pans moving around was suddenly loud in the background.

"I'm on my way home, right now. I was going to call Jake when I got home but if you had other plans...?" I was generally going to try and avoid the subject of my drunken behaviour.

"No, no, I'm just making dinner... well, trying. You moved everything while I was in France," I heard her frustration, "I also saw the other thing you got while I was away" I automatically thought on my belly piercing but remembered that it had been covered by my shirt last night.

The tattoo, not many people noticed because I tended to wear pants that covered it. It must have shown when I got out of the car. I was meant to break that too her slowly. She and I had the love of the same tattoo. It was 'love' written in cursive script though I wanted mine at the base of my spine while she preferred it on her wrist. The only other difference was the symbol we placed at the end of the word, where I had a heart she had a paw print... she got the tattoo first back when she liked Taylor Lautner. She had another tattoo, one of birds, it was more recent, I remember going with her to get it. I sat in the waiting room the whole time but she had insisted that I was going to want to drive the car. She bribed me with a coffee and expensive chocolates so I couldn't resist, she knew me too well.

The thought on my tattoo and my pants pulling down slightly to reveal it reminded me of something else that had gone on last night, something I would never have thought I would be seeing again. I suddenly back at the party, going through the fridge, having to bend slightly more to reach the bottles left at the back. I remember the feeling of someone watching my back as I looked and when glancing sideways dark jeans took my central vision. I tried to ignore them as I reached in, taking hold of three dark glass bottles.

"Nice tat," the simple words brought a heat rising to my face, "A good look for you" it sounded something like sarcasm but it was slurred around the edges.

"Yeah, I like it" I shot up, standing straight with the drinks in hand.

"Why thank you" Andy started to take one of the drinks, his breath smelling heavily of alcohol.

"Actually they were for Claire and Bradie," he didn't seem to be taking any notice of me, taking a drink, "But, yeah, it's alright if you have one" I rolled my eyes.

I bent down at my knees this time, careful not to advertise my 'tramp stamp' again. I grabbed another bottle and started to turn back to where Bradie and Claire were sitting in the lounge room but Andy took hold of my wrist. I looked him in the eyes, trying to think of something to say. His smile was still the drunken rise of the corner of his mouth as he tried to focus on my eyes. He mumbled something that sounded like 'thanks for coming' and swayed slightly. He was hammered. His hand moved, staying on my wrist but changing into something gentler. He leaned in slightly, still trying to focus on my eyes as he placed the beer in his hand down on the bench next to the fridge. He reach out as if to take my waist with the hand that had previously been occupied but I didn't see him finish the movement as I was sucked back into the present by the sound of Lissa's voice.

"I'll see you later, okay? I've gotta go, I have the biggest headache" I cut her off midsentence.

"Well, that's what you get when you stay out all night drinking" she hung up.

I was left alone with my thoughts, in the quiet of my car. What was that? What had I been thinking, letting Andy get that close? Neither of us would have been thinking properly. He was drunk and I had been well on my way to being drunk. I hadn't been thinking but now all I could think was 'what if he had kissed me?'. I pulled to a sudden stop at the red light, almost not seeing it out of shock. As my mind tried to process what could have happened, I looked at the road ahead. Conjuring up the worst was what my mind did best and as I let the brake go, slowly, I had the scary thought that I had slept with him. That couldn't have happened. Andy wouldn't be that kind of person would he? But alcohol changed people.

I couldn't let myself think that, the worst didn't always happen. I tried to put all my focus into driving, trying to push all thoughts of the blond boy to the back of my mind. I was already worried about Jake, what I was going to say to him, I didn't need to add the worry about the worst that could have happened last night. I tried to convince myself that it had been nothing, last night was just a good time and nothing bad had come of it. It worked to a certain degree, I had calmed down enough to notice the changing lights and cars trying to overtake me on the highway but my concerns were buzzing in the back of my mind, like I had a barrier between them and my mind and the thoughts were trying to break through.

I past the rest of the drive home in a daze, only seeing what I needed to see or what stood out. The thoughts of what I was going to say to Jake were mixed up in my worries but the 'barrier' held off most of my problems. I pulled into the underground parking of the apartment building and shut the door in an unfocused haze. I walked slowly to the elevator, no longer as bothered by the click of my heels, my thoughts keeping me busy but confused. I had gotten nowhere with talking to Jake about the shoot but I had also made no progress in eliminating the worst possible idea about last night. I stepped into the elevator, pressing the buttons to my floor and to shut the doors automatically and stood in the quiet. With my thoughts jumping all over the place I tried to focus on the flashbacks. I tried to remember anything more about last night, anything to suggest that we hadn't kissed. The doors hissed shut, the elevator shuttering as it began to pull up.

I blinked twice, holding my breath as Andy leaned in. The smell of alcohol clung to him. He paused and I looked back in confusion, feeling slightly cross eyed as I watched his face only inches from mine. What was I supposed to do? I looked around the room searching through faces, hoping that someone might know what he was doing. He swayed, not quite balanced on the flat ground in which he stood. His hand touched my waist but not in a good way, not even in a flattering way. It felt more like he was trying to hold himself up. The grip on my wrist tightens, gripping tightly as if it was the only thing between him and the humiliation of ending up on the floor.

"Are you alright?" I asked softly.

He didn't speak but began to lean in again, the grip on my waist softening into nothing and the hand on my small wrist falling away. His whole weight started to come forward, nothing like it had been before. I step back knowing he wasn't leaning intentionally. I watched him as he continued forward. He leaned right up to the point where his weight was over his toes and then there was nothing between him and the floor. I watched him fall until his face met with the floor. The whole party fell silent. Music played the beat strong and drumming through my head but somehow the silence was thick enough to walk on.

"Andy, are you alright?" I bent down, balancing on the balls of my feet to shake him lightly.

He groaned and the party picked up as if nothing had happened. I propped the beers in my hand up onto a nearby table and then started to help Andy back to his feet. He rubbed his face as I pulled him around into a sitting position. With his hand still on his face he looked around, his eyes focusing on me for a second but that was it. He looked around rubbing his face, messing up his already crazy hair and just generally looked lost. He had no idea what had just happened and what was going on. I had been pretty tipsy myself but not that wasted. It crossed my mind to just leave him there, just let him suffer the embarrassment of passing out in the main room. New entertainment for the party! Everyone snap your pictures while you can! I laughed to myself quietly.

"Come on big boy, time for you to go back to bed." I said throwing his arm over my shoulder. Most of his weight fell to my side. I was proud of myself for not collapsing from the extra weight and the heels.

"I don't wonna go to bed." Andy slurred, "It's too early to sleep, I know, why don't you join me" he sounded rather proud of himself around the slurring.

"Not while you're like this." I searched for a room opening a random door.

I let out a sigh of relief as I found a room with a bed in it. I don't care if it's the wrong room; it could be a storage room for all I cared at in that moment. It had a bed in it; he was going to sleep in it. I dragged him up to closest point of the bed and let go of the parts of him that held him up. His arm around my neck had been holding it up, as soon as I let go his legs fell out from underneath him and he fell. He groaned lightly as he hit the bed, automatically digging into it slightly and relaxing against.

I snickered quietly as I came back the elevator. The woman stepping in; gave me an off look but I smiled sweetly and waved her off as she went to the back. I looked at the little screen telling us the floor number, six, I would be getting off in four floors anyway. I pulled my phone out of my back pocket then went fishing through my bag. My hands wrapped around the thin piece of card in an instant and pulling it out was no trouble, it was focusing on the shiny numbers under the glary light that was hard. I punched the number in carefully, checking it twice. The elevator came to stop as I pressed the connected button. I held it to my ear, listening to the ringing.

"Hello, Jake McCoy speaking" he answered on the fifth ring, just as I stepped through the doors.

"Jake, it's Rose. Are you free tomorrow?" my voice was sweet as the click of my heels started to annoy me again.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Jake McCoy was dressed in a dark suit, similar one he wore in the coffee shop. He held my car door open with a huge smile spread across his face and a twinkle in his eyes that said I was a shiny new toy that he was going to take in for show-and-tell. I suddenly felt as if I was in year one again. My red hair bounced lightly against my cheeks as I stepped out of the car, returning the smile to Jake. I pulled my bag firmly on my shoulder, taking my disposable coffee mug in my other hand. I took a sip of beautiful hot coffee as Jake shut my door, giving me a good look over. I pushed my hair out of my eyes, keeping the pleasant smile and looking around for Steph or her car.

"Thanks for coming," he held his hand out for me to shake, "You look lovely" he sounded sincere but the eyes held something more.

"You should have seen me yesterday" I laughed, shaking my head.

He seemed to think about what I had said but shook it off with a small shake of his head to lead the way to where we were going. The building was huge, layered with shiny windows on every wall that reflected the sun down onto the car park out the front. My blood red Mercedes Benz convertible shimmered in the light, the roof protecting my leather seats being the cleanest part of the car. I kept pace with Jake easily as he tried to match his walk to mine so he was walking with me rather than leading me. The double doors whooshed open and the cool air conditioning automatically did its job. It suddenly dropped down to freezing and I wriggled deeper into my jacket, pulling it closer together at the front. The doors shut behind us as Jake greeted the young woman at the desk.

"Good morning Alice," she looked like she was about to fall off her chair as Jake smiled at her, "Has it been busy this morning?" he barely slowed down as he kept walking towards and door to the right of the desk.

"Nothing too hard, Sir" her voice was small and she jumped when the phone started to ring.

I smiled at her as she picked up the phone and Jake lead me through the single door. Her sweet voice greeting the person on the other end was the last thing I heard before the thumping drums of the loud music blaring in the room took over my hearing. Something close to heavy metal played so loud I could barely hear myself think. Looking towards Jake he gave me apologetic eyes and beckoned me further into the room. I hurried to catch up to him, almost afraid that I would get lost in what looked like it was supposed to be a shoot set up. The room was a mess and the photographer was nowhere in sight. The only amount able area that was velar was over by the far wall with a white back-drop. We continued through to the next room which turned out to be hair and make-up. Thank the lord, somewhere I can relax.

"Sorry about that. Our photographer, she's good and I mean really good but that's how she likes it. Loud and messy" he led me back a few steps and held a chair out for me.

"Is Steph here yet?" I sat down, looking up at him.

"Yeah, she can in about half an hour ago, our make-up artists are catching her up on the look we are going for and should here in a moment," something beeped in his pocket, "Sorry, I have to leave for a moment. I should be back when you step out on set" with one more dazzling smile he left me.

I watched him leave, sitting in a comfortable leather chair, tempted to spin around in it. It was quiet except for the thumping coming from the other room. I've never been in a make-up and hair room all by myself. Makes you think what Steph thought I would get up to while she wasn't here. Makes you think what they think I wouldn't do while I was in here by myself. Leaning forward in the chair slightly I looked behind me in the corner of the mirror. The room had gone under and extensive paint job with majority of the walls being purer white but smooth, curved patterns decorated it. Bright colours such as hot pink, lime green and baby blue gave colour to the room while the black equipment provided and elegant contrast that the room needed.

I wasn't left alone for very long. Steph came into the room with a huge pink make-up box in one hand and a silver bag in the other. I relaxed even more, knowing for the next half an hour or so I got to sit perfectly still listening to the tracks I wanted while Steph's light hand made perfect work of my face. As she got closer the smile on her face got bigger and you could just ell that she loved her job. With barely a glance she unclipped her bag and rolled it out onto the table top to reveal hundreds of make-up brushes and my eighty gig iPod lying in the middle. It was filled with every song that I knew very single word to. My smile got bigger as she handed it to me and started to prep my face.

About thirty minutes later, the pull of hands going through my hair dragged me out of my relaxed state. Careful not to touch my face, I pulled myself up straighter making it easier for Steph to do her job. I hadn't even noticed that I had slouched down into my chair. I yawned involuntarily, my hand automatically going to my mouth before Steph smacked it away.

"You think you're tired now, waiting till you're through getting this hair out" she laughed still pulled at my hair.

"Why?" I turned my music down slightly, hoping she would talk to me.

All she did was laugh as she let out a bit of my hair in the front and continued pulling the rest back into what felt like a ponytail. My eyes focused on the piece of hair in front of my eyes, noticing it was unnaturally curly. I was tempted to pull at it but as I raised my hand to grab it I noticed something else. Most of it was blue. Um, when did that happen? I couldn't fight it anymore, I had to reach up and grab it. Under touch it felt incredibly fake this meant she hadn't dyed my hair. Good. There was just a lot of coloured spray in it. Yay. Now I knew what she meant by what she said. This was going to take forever to get out. Oh god, I have to go home with blue hair. Now I was slightly worried to see my face… wait no, I was more worried to see the dress.

Stepping out of the change room in beautiful silvery flats and a long elegant dress I took back the all regrets about the dress. It was beautiful, mostly white with the hem an ice blue that was pulled up the dress to about somewhere between my knees and thigh where it faded into the white. It was long, form fitting to the top half of my body but as soon as the material touched the tops of my hips it had a flow where it just glided around me as I walked. It was one shoulder with most of the top covered in sparkly snowflakes that snaked from the shoulder strap, diagonally down to the top of my stomach. I loved the dress. The only thing wrong with it, it was way too long. Someone had overestimated my height.

"Its way too long. Alice!" he smiled, absent minded making sure nothing else was out of place on the dress, "Ah, Alice, who got the length wrong? Never mind, what are you going to do about it?" his gaze turned stern when Alice entered the room.

"Um, we could hem it…"

"No, there's no time" he circled me, as if to look for an answer somewhere.

"You could get her in heels. No one would see them under the dress if you got them the right height, maybe six inches?" Steph smiled, stepping up beside me.

Alice didn't need another cue; she turned and ran off further into the dressing room. Jake smiled down at me before another beep went off in his pocket. This time he ignored it. He shouted at Alice one more time before she came running out with two pairs of heels that looked absolutely gorgeous. Both would have matched the dress perfectly but Jake grabbed the white ones that were decorated in dimonties. Taking the skirt of the dress carefully, I stepped out of the flats as Jake put the heels on the ground. He held his hand out to me, offering to help me step into the shoes but I didn't need it. The shoes were a perfect fit and Steph was right, once I let go of the skirt and smoothed it the shoes where unnoticeable.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Walking down the long hallway to my apartment, I tried to push the loud thumping beat of the music that had played during the photo shoot out of my head. The sounds kept playing over and over again. My walk seemed to keep pace with the beat. Groaning, I shook my head trying to get the song out of my head again but nothing worked. Or I thought nothing worked. When I got about two doors away from my door music started to become noticeable, the strong beat to a song I didn't know took over the beat in my head. The walking matched it and leading me to my door in no time.

Pushing the door open the music only got louder. I didn't know what to do. Looking into the apartment, I didn't know if I wanted to step inside as the music got a notch louder and Lissa started to scream lyrics. When I had left she had been asleep, in about four hours all it seemed like she had accomplished was to wake up and cook something that smelled incredibly delicious. The smell alone would have made walk into the room but the blaring music was frightening. I'm sure Lissa didn't leave listening to this kind of stuff.

"What are you listening to?" I shouted, stepping into my apartment tentatively.

"Drop Dead Gorgeous!" she stopped mid-sentence to shout back at me, "Come in, I've made pancakes" her head popped out of the kitchen.

A huge smile spread across her face with chocolate up the side of her face and flour across her forehead. Her auburn hair was pulled off her face which should have left her freckles in plain view but there was more ingredients then skin showing. I met her smile with a flash of my own as I stepped out of my heels trying to place where I had heard this song before or who it was by.

"Thanks for the invite into my own apartment" I mumbled.

Instead of going straight to the kitchen, I walked into the lounge room and took Lissa's iPod of the mantel. 'Drop Dead Gorgeous' by Short Stack. _'So that's where I've heard the voice from before'_ I mused to myself before turning the music down to a listenable decibel. We didn't need neighbours complaining. I turned back towards the kitchen and got a flash of thigh over the half wall then separated the kitchen and the lounge room dining room. I blinked a couple of times then felt my eyebrows drop as I stood by the mantel looking at Lissa over the bench. She stood at the oven in a baby blue sweater and ballet pink, frilly undies, humming to herself and trying to flip a pancake.

"Explain to me the making a mess in _my_ kitchen" I placed the iPod back where it was and stepped away.

"I'm not making a mess," she looked up to the roof as if to make sure there wasn't anything there, "Do you want some or not?" she had a fake stern look on her face.

Rolling my eyes I sat down on one of the tall bench seats on this side of the wall.

"Holy crap! What happened to your hair?" she almost dropped the plate of choc-chip pancakes when she turned to face me.

"Ha ha ha, what happened to your pants?" I asked her sarcastically.

Lissa put a plate of three pancakes down in front of me along with the maple syrup, golden syrup, butter and ice-cream. I gave her a stern look just before she turned back to the oven. Why did she have to do that? It would take forever to work off choc-chip pancakes and ice-cream. She laughed at my internal battle but left me to my own devices. She continued cooking while I looked down at my plate. My stomach growled. Something broke inside me and I gave in. I placed a spoonful of ice-cream on top of my pancakes.

"So, how was Jake?" Lissa asked when I looked up.

"Good… I think. His assistant seemed willing to fall off her chair for him" I laughed, waiting for my ice-cream to melt a little.

"And, how did the party go with Andy?" she leaned against the bench next to the oven, picking at her pancakes.

We hadn't had much of a chance to talk about it, with me being hung-over yesterday and then having to leave before she woke up this morning. Usually she didn't ask about those types of things. She somehow found out in her own creepy way. I guess because no one that she knew well went there was no way her to ask. I laughed to myself quietly at the thought of her being totally clueless for once. I don't really know what it was but she seemed to know everything. It felt good to know that for once she didn't.

"He was pretty hammered and everything after my fourth drink is kind of fuzzy," I put the first bit of pancake into my mouth, "I'm pretty sure he tried to kiss me at one stage" I almost choked on my mouthful at the thought.

I watched him as he continued forward. He leaned right up to the point where his weight was over his toes and then there was nothing between him and the floor. I watched him fall until his face met with the floor. The whole party fell silent. Music played the beat strong and drumming through my head but somehow the silence was thick enough to walk on. I laughed again and Lissa gave me a questioning look. She started to pick at her pancakes again before her head snapped up.

"Tried?" her voice unsure.

"Yeah," I tapped my fork on my bottom lip lightly, trying to think of the right words, "He didn't quite make it. He hit rock bottom" I nodding slowly.

She looked concerned for a moment but I took it as she was letting it go when her face relaxed. We sat in silence until we had both finished our pancakes. The music kept the silence between us from being completely awkward but something wasn't quite right between us. She wanted something. It was radiating off her and while she wanted something I wanted something too. I could wait though. I placed my empty plate in the sink before walking to my room.

Throwing my bag onto the bed, I didn't stay in my room for long. I continued into my bathroom, kicking the door shut behind me. Slamming my hand down onto the light switch it flickered to life as I walked over to the mirror above the white polished sink. Looking in the mirror I tried to take in the whole image looking back out at me but my eyes only made out the immediate colours. The red of my hair where it hadn't been sprayed, the blue of my hair that had been and the whiteness of my skin in contrast to the harsh colours. My hands went to my hair, starting to look for bobby pins and hair ties that I could out before trying to wash the colour out of my hair. I had about a handful of bobby pins out of my hair before there was a soft knock at my door.

"Hey, do you want some help?" her voice was loud but gentle as it came through the door.

I stood still for a moment, thinking about it and listening. She had turned the music off. I tried to run my fingers through the loose hair but when they got caught only centimetres from my scalp I realised her help was going to be very much appreciated.

"Yea" I pulled the chair out from the corner, sitting in front of the mirror for her.

As she pulled the door open I noticed she hadn't turned the music off, she had just turned it down and had something quieter on. I instantly knew the tune. The memories that hung around with "Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman forced me to remember the song. It had first come out when I was about fifteen and I remembered it playing softly in the background when I shared my first kiss. The lyrics had been burned into my brain when I listened to it endlessly after my first break up but the main reason why I remembered it was because it was linked to my dad. It is kind of ironic but it was the song we were listening to when he taught me how to dance for my year ten formal even though I didn't end up putting the lesson into practise.

The song had only just started and I picked up the lyrics straight away, singing them quietly to myself as Lissa walked into the bathroom. She tried to run her fingers through my hair just as I had tried to do. When they wouldn't go any further she simply stood there, looking at my hair, assessing the problem. Carefully, she picked up my brush with her free hand. She was also humming along with the song; all emotion was clear on her face as I looked up at her through her reflection on the mirror. It was clear that this song didn't only mean something to me but to her too. While trying to recall what it was she started to brush the hair she had in her hand.

As she got to a pin she would pull it out carefully but if she got to a tie she had to go around it for it would be impossible to try and pull it out now. Her hands were gentle, as they always were. I could barely tell she was tugging at knots in my hair that would probably keep us here for half an hour just to get out. With her working at my hair my hands were free. At first I tried sitting still with them in my lap but I soon became restless. I didn't want to interrupt her train of thought as she worked and I had given up on keeping up with the beautiful lyrics so I opted for trying to take some of my thick make-up off.

Reaching forward, carefully to keep my head still I went for my make-up wipes, balancing on the edge of the sink. My skin almost looked airbrushed, it was perfect but that wasn't going to be the hardest part to get off. The two different colours of my lips didn't even worry me that much. It was the extensive use of long lines for my eyeliner and the coloured eye-shadow Steph had put in my eyebrows that were going to cause problems to get off. I decided to go with the easiest first, going for the majority of the foundation then the blue and semi white lipsticks.

"So, do you want to talk boys?" Lissa's voice matched the smile plastered on her face.

"Not while you're in your underwear" I pulled out a new wipe and started to scrub at my eyebrows.

"Well, you're in luck, aren't you? I put pants on," she laughed, stepping so I could see the dark denim short shorts, "So, Andy and Jake?" she went back to pulling at my hair.

"Andy and Jake?" I soon gave up on my eyebrows, "What about them?"

Looking up to meet her eyes something clicked in the back of my mind and I knew what she was getting at but I didn't seem to really know until she opened her mouth.

"Who do you like more?" she raised her eyebrows, "Come on, Rose, I saw the way they both noticed you and it wasn't like the way creeps on the street notice you" her voice was playful but had a slight stern tone to it.

I didn't know how to react. What could you do in this situation? I had stopped rubbing at my face unconsciously but upon noticing I quickly started up again. I tried to distract myself from the question. If I gave the wrong reaction she could take it the wrong way but what was the right way? How did I feel about them? Jake was a nice guy, so was Andy. They both invited me to do things upon meeting but Jake seemed to be able to pull the right strings. The one that would get me what I wanted. With that thought I was brought back to the question I had when I met Andy. What was it that I wanted?

'_Stop doubting yourself, you want to be a model'_ a voice in the back of my mind tried to reassure me of the thing I had been chasing almost my whole life. But did I really want that? Do I still want that? I only just met Andy, how could I doubt everything I have ever known? What is going on with me? It was too clichéd to change everything about yourself upon meeting a guy. I couldn't be falling for either of them, not at first glance. This was not some clichéd Disney romance movie, this is real life. No one falls that's fast, never at first glance. And I especially don't need saving from anything.

"What are you trying to get at?" who was I kidding I knew what she was trying to get at, "Nothing's going to happen, Lissa. I probably won't ever see Andy again after that party and Jake, well, Jake seems content on getting me onto the cover of his magazine" I winced when she pulled at a knot a little too hard.

"I don't know Rose. A smart girl once told me, anything could happen" she smiled, pulling out the hair tie that held up majority of my hair, "What happened to that smart girl?"

I looked up at her. She was right; it had been a smart girl who told her that. She had said back when she believed in the Disney happy ending, back when she had believed in soul mates and true love. What happened to that smart girl? Well, I grew up.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

The warm water rained down onto my back; loosening muscles that had gotten knotted up during my restless sleep. I had dreamed about Andy and Jake, even Lissa. I couldn't keep what she had said out of my head, even in my sleep. I had woken up with my sheets tangled with my legs, my pillow on the floor and sweat running down my face. A shower seemed like the best idea and it gave me another chance to get the blue stuff out of my hair. Ii had gotten most of it out last night but I couldn't seem to get rid of the blue tinge at the tips. Lissa tried to tell me I was imagining things but something in the back of my head wouldn't let me leave it.

I had finished washing and conditioning my hair, now just started under the warm seemed like the best thing. I was calming down more every second that passed and I was nowhere worried about getting to work. I had had woken up early enough this morning to be able to have a good shower and still make it to work on time. It might not have been the 'earlier' I had promised Nathan but at least I was going to be on time. With a smile, I ran my hair through my perfectly straight wet hair, turning around to let the water beat down on my chest.

It was about seven o'clock and Lissa was still in bed, where I should be, so I didn't get to put on any music. I always got ready to something with a beat. It was weird but kind of calming to have to get ready in silence. I was left alone with my thoughts as I stood under the water, moving slowly to turn the water off. Stepping out of the shower I automatically grabbing a fluffy white towel and wrapping it around my body as my feet touched cool tiles. I didn't bother with looking in the mirror as I continued walking into my bedroom, passing my unmade bed.

Looking into my cupboard I quickly decided I was going to wear my black slacks with white pinstripes running down the length. Running my hand over the cottons, silks and satins of the clothes hanging in my cupboard I was tempted to grab my blue blouse that went so well with the pants but then remember the colour of my apron. Blue and green shall never be seen without a colour in between. It was so hard to dress for a green apron. I decided it was safer to so for a white button up t-shirt. Pulling the shirt off the hanger I went down the row to wear I hang my pants and grabbed the slacks.

I threw them onto the bed then went to grab my underwear out of my bedside table. Looking into the draw I stood for a moment thinking about what set I could wear today. It was so weird having time to think about what I could wear right down to my underwear. Though I knew it was going to have to be a light colour so the bra didn't show through the white top, I stood there thinking about it. Just thinking about how much I liked being able to plan this out. I went with the lacy lilac set that was on top. I had to admit, Lissa was right about these becoming my favourite set. She had been the one with me when I went shopping; she had also been the one to pick it out.

I dried and got dressed slowly, taking more time than I needed. I think at one point I actually stopped a checked myself out in the mirror. I took in the pale lines on my flat stomach and how the softness of the purple of the bra complimented my skin. When I was done, I took time to look for shoes. Not that it was hard. As usual for these slacks, I ended up in my black Mary Janes which was practical for work. They gave me some extra height but weren't too tall, they were comfortable which meant I could stand in them all day and the toes were covered, always thinking about safety.

My bag and an up-and-go was the last thing I grabbed before making sure Lissa if Lissa was still in bed then walking out the door. I made it to work in record time, beating the morning traffic instead of getting stuck in it like I would normally. I stepped out of my car, pulling my sunglasses down over my eyes as I reached back in to grab my apron. Tossing it over my arm along with my bag I shut the door and locked. Stepping lightly I went towards the front door. Went I got inside I saw something I probably haven't seen in almost a year. The main room was completely empty except for Logan pulling chairs off the table. Sounds of the machine being started up said someone was behind the counter but were out of sight at the moment. What was more important, I was here before Nathan.

"Look who it is, guess she's not a vampire" Logan laughed.

"Oh damn and I was going to ask about doing something freaky" Bobby groaned, popping his head out from under the counter.

I laughed at the joke, shaking my head as I walked into the locker room. I had told him once and now I had reason to think of it again, Logan needs to hold his lover on a bit of a tighter leash. I know Bobby is all talk and no action. I know he just likes to mess around with people but what if he said the wrong thing to a person who didn't know that? I shoved my bag in my locker then tied my apron around my waist before walking out and joining Logan in pulling down chairs. I said nothing to either of them but not in a bad way. I just kept to my thoughts and bubbled over when someone was going to get fed up with the quiet and turn the radio on.

About half an hour, during the second wave of people coming to get their fix of coffee before work or school, Nathan showed up looking more ordinary than ever. I was wiping down tables as people left them, having no trouble keeping up but barely having enough time to do anything else. Nathan, being the business man he is, usually wore half a suit. The dress pants and the button up shirt but today he wore baggy dark grey jeans and a plain white tee telling me he wasn't planning on being here long. He smiled at everyone as he walked past, waving to Bobby behind the counter and to Logan who was clearing tables so I could wipe them down.

Even Ava, who Nathan swore he didn't like who was waitressing got a wave before his eyes fell on me. The happy look on his face changed. He looked like he had seen a ghost. I gave a big grin, waving at him while trying to wipe the table down. The look on his face faltered before he smiled and half-heartedly waved back. Blinking a couple of times he continued to walk to his office. I laughed quietly to myself as I finished up with the table and a group of young girls sat down in front of me. Automatically pulling my notepad out, I jumped right into business mode.

"Hi, my name is Rose. Can I be of any service today?" I shoved the dirty cloth into my apron pocket, pulling out a pen.

"Um, yes please," the blond quickly looked over a menu in her hand, "Can I have two regular mocha's, one regular chi tea latte on skim milk and one small hot chocolate on skim milk?" her smile was perfect while I wrote the order down.

"Anything else?" my smile deepened into one I actually gave when I was happy.

"Um, can you have Logan bring it over?" a dark haired girl who had sat next to the blond asked.

"Sure," I did my best to keep concern out of my voice, "He'll be right over" I smiled again before walking away.

I wrote it down on the piece of paper that it was requested for Logan to take the drinks over to table thirteen and went to stand by Bobby. He smiled at me somehow still being able to pay attention to the woman in front of him giving an order while trying to get her children to calm down. He was getting everything that she down effortlessly but it looked like she was having trouble keeping the kids still and remember what she wanted. I leant over the counter, careful not to get in Bobby's way and got the little girls attention.

"Hey" I gave her a big smile; "If you and your brothers promise to behave for your mum I'll give you one of those chocolates over there" I pointed to the clear window showing what we had pre-made today.

With another smile she got her brothers to stand we her. They all stood really still with matching smiles with the two oldest children becoming noticeably twins. They looked at their calming mother. She smiled down at me as I looked from them to her as the little girl ask her mother sweetly if I was allowed to give them some chocolate if they promise to be good. She agreed after I gave her a reassuring smile and I reached into the display cabinet.

"Thank you" they said in unison once they all had their small hands on a piece.

The woman finished her order, taking the hands of the youngest boy and the girl before walking down the line to wait for her order. I waved as the little girl looked at me over her shoulder before quickly snapping her head back to face her mother. Laughing quietly, I put the chocolate back in the cabinet and went back to standing with Bobby. He took down a quick order from an elderly couple before turning to face me with a slightly smile and a questioning in his eye.

"That's cute, kids suit you" he stated, playing with the buttons on the keyboard.

"They are cute, I like good kids," I put my hands on my hips went I notice Logan looking at the order I had just pinned up, "Hey, those girl requested Logan take their order to them. Do you know if he knows them?" I nodded my head towards the group of girls chatting and laughing in the back of the room.

"Um yea, the dark haired girl is his sister though why she would ask for him let alone come in here is a mystery to me. After Logan told his family about us they stopped talking to him. It was really sad 'cus his sister and him were really close" Bobby looked over to Logan, "Can you cover me for a moment?" he smiled at me.

"Yea, sure" I wiped my hands on my apron as Bobby stepped around me.

I stepped behind of the computer and absentmindedly started to take down the order of the person in front of me as they said it. I went through the motions of taking down their order but my main attention was now split between the group of girls in the back of the room and Logan with Bobby, making their orders while they talked quietly. I couldn't tell what either group were saying but my first guess was that Bobby was trying to help Logan. The girls seemed oblivious to their surrounds, smiling, talking and laughing at each other. I didn't know what was meant to go on in a situation like this but something told me the dark haired girl, who was currently laughing her head off, should have seemed more concerned about her brother.

I looked back at to Logan as Bobby hugged him and told him it was going to be okay. I looked to the customer, smiled, telling him the cost of his order before I realise exactly who was standing in front of me. I blinked a couple of times, imagining my face would look exactly like Nathan's had when he saw as I saw Andy smiling back at me.

"Oh my God, Andy Clemmensen!" I couldn't keep the shock out of my voice, wasn't it only yesterday I told Lissa I probably wouldn't see him again?

He made a shushing noise, looking around to see if anyone had noticed my outburst before opening his mouth.

"Hi Rose, I was beginning to think you had forgotten me" the smile on his face said he was joking and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Hey, Bobby I'm going to take my break now okay?" I started pulling off my apron and moving down the counter to the coffee machine, "Yeah, I know I've been here only an hour but I would like to take in now" I put Andy's order into the machine and mocha for myself.

Bobby looked at me; his eyebrows almost stitched together then looked at Andy. He had had a huge smile on his face before looking back to me and nodding. Motioning Andy to stay where he was, I went into the locker room. I threw my apron inside before accidentally slammed the door shut though I knew it was going to be useless. I walked back to the coffee machine with unexpected bounce in my step only to find the drinks gone. I was in the middle of freaking out before Bobby pointed to Andy standing by the front door with two drinks in his hands.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

"How are you?" I asked, sipping my mocha carefully as I waited.

We sat outside, soaking up the warm morning sun as we drank our hot drinks. His hair was as messy as I had first seen it and his lips piercing glistened in the light. His eyes were shielded by dark tinted sunnies as I sat here wishing I had gotten mine. He smiled, taking sips of his drink while thinking about how to respond while something told me this wasn't going to be the last time I saw him. So much for never seeing him again like I had told Lissa maybe I should start listening to her some more. Even if is going to turn into useless optimism. Just in case.

He looked completely average sitting across from me in black jeans that had rips over both knees and a plain navy blue tee. He made me feel over dressed. If I had known that I was going to run into someone so relax I would have gone with my skinny jeans this morning. Not that it mattered now. I kept my eyes on him as he continued to sit there with a grin on his face and his drink in his hand.

"Nobody's perfect and I am nobody so I am perfect" he looked like he thought he was so smart.

"You're hardly nobody," I grinned into my cup; "Almost getting run over by people proves that" I smiled at the memory but wouldn't look at him.

I really wanted what he had. I really wish I could walk out of a building and have people screaming for me. I wanted the risk of being swamped by people, all asking them for my autography or a picture with me. I wanted people to know who I was. He had it but clearly thought indifferently about it.

"Thank you" he dragged my attention away from my thoughts.

I assumed he was talking about the night of the party and how I had put him in the room instead of leaving out where happy snaps could be taken. I could imagine it now; people would have seen the pictures on the internet by Monday at least. I smile at him taking another sip of my coffee.

"No, I mean it. I was a jerk" he looked at me, meeting my eyes.

"Don't worry about it, I think we all had a few too many. Even I woke up with a splitting headache" I tried to laugh it off.

"Well, okay. Never would have thought I would see you here. How long have you been working here?" his voice was generally curious.

"Ever since I left school, it pays the bills while I'm between jobs" I shrugged, taking another sip of my now cooling drink.

He looked at me in wonder, as if he had come in here before and hadn't noticed that I was one of the main waitresses. It was believable though; I was never here on time except the first couple of months that I had worked here before I got my first modelling job. Somehow I didn't picture Andy as the type to get up early though and to come in when I was supposed to be here. There was always the day I wasn't here. Depending what week it was, I would only be here three or four days a week. This week was a three day week but because I had a day off last week I had an extra day.

I was supposed to work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Today was Monday, not only a day I was supposed to have off but it was the first day of a working week. I would normally be really tired on my first working day and Mondays always made it worse but today I felt rather energized. I was kind of chipper actually. I didn't have any worries. I smiled at Andy as he looked at me. He smiled back, the smile reaching his eyes and making the stud in his lip shine under the light. It looked as if he could be laughing.

"Hey, Rose we need you back inside" Ava spoke quietly as she popped her head outside of the door.

"Um, okay," I looked at her from over my shoulder; "I'll see you later, Andy" I waved, drinking the rest of my drink as I went back inside.

I thought I saw him say something out of the corner of my eye as he waved back at me but the noise that flooded out the door was overwhelming. How many people had slipped inside the café while I was taking my break? I looked around the room quickly, seeing almost every table was full while a line that went along the length of the counter. I went to the locker room without a second thought. I took my apron out, fastening it around my waist and taking the cloth I used to wipe down tables.

I set to work as soon as I was past the counter, grabbing an empty tray before wiping down the nearest table. I put all the cups onto the tray then moved to the next clear table, doing the same thing all over again. With the tray now full, I went back to the counter, barely smiling at Logan who now occupied the computer. I put the full tray of dirty cups and plates on the bench against the wall beside the door to the kitchen. Nathan's door opened, slamming against the wall, not hard but forcefully. I went to the next table with my head down, barely looking at anyone.

Keeping my head down I tried to not drag any attention to myself and hoped I wasn't the reason for his anger. I pushed my fringe out of my eyes as Ava walked past me with a smile. Leaning over the table, I concentrated on a stain that was permanently fixed on this table. Nathan walked out of his office with a grim look on his face. Please say I hadn't put it there. I was having a good day; I didn't need to be yelled at. I had come to work on time; I was even working fairly hard. I watched him carefully as he walked across the room.

"Logan, I'm heading out, I trust you to make sure this place doesn't burn down" he gave a grim smile.

I let out a breath that I didn't know I had been holding as I watched him walk to the door and leave. I smiled, moving onto another table. Maybe this was going to be a good day. What could go wrong?

Walking out of the Coffee Emporium at four o'clock, I couldn't think of a better feeling. I had gotten to work on time, I hadn't gotten yelled at by Nathan which I was starting to think was going to become a routine between us and I had gotten off work on time. Not to mention I had run into Andy who was still a bag of mysteries under the confident exterior. I walked to my car with my head high, a good feeling washing over me. I should really try this more often. This getting to work on time and having no one angry at you felt good. I could get used to this easily.

I reached into my bag absentmindedly, going for my phone which _was_ turning into a routine. I touched the screen lightly, waiting for it come to life as I continued walking. When nothing happened I tried the power button, smiling when it turned on quickly. Hearing footsteps in front of me made me jerk my head up, almost running into a familiar face. I stared into the different coloured eyes for a moment before I broke out into a smile.

"Rose, I was actually going to call to you" he smiled, a mouth full of perfectly white teeth, "I really wanted to tell you how well the shoot turned out" he motioned me to walk with him.

"Thank you," I smiled, turning to walk with him, "So, am I good enough to feature in your magazine?" I turned playfully serious.

"Feature? We're using your picture as the cover" he looked genuinely shocked.

I did my best to keep the shock off my face and to keep my jaw from dropping. I don't think I did a very good job though my mouth stayed shut. He smiled as if he achieved something that was hard to get. He was yet to realise I was pretty much an open book, my emotions portrayed on face for the world to read. There were only very few moments when I could actually hide what I was feeling though I tried often. He opened the door carefully, allowing me to enter as he held it. It took me a moment to snap out of my shock and to step through.

"Didn't expect to see you back here so soon, you finished only five minutes ago" Ava gave a smug smile as she walked to a table holding a plateful of drinks.

I was tempted to trip her but not only would that lead to me getting yelled out, we would probably lose costumers and this place didn't need it. So holding my head high I cursed her in my head.

"So, my picture as the cover?" I spoke just that little bit louder than I needed to, making sure Ava could hear.

"Not only that, I was wondering if you would like to work full time?" he stepped up to the counter.

He ordered his drink and offered me something but all I could do was shake my head as I processed what he had just said. _'I was wondering if you would like to work full time' _his words running over and over in my head. Was he kidding? Of course I wanted to work full time but seriously, was it that easy? How did I land this? I smiled as I got ready to tell him I accept but Lissa's words floated through my mind. _'I saw the way they both noticed you'_ maybe this was wrong.

Maybe he didn't want me for my talent. No, that couldn't be it. I tried to force those thoughts out of my mind. Jake wouldn't do that; he wouldn't let his personal feelings cloud his business judgement. He shouldn't… I didn't really know him. I didn't know him at all. I automatically shut myself down when those thoughts passed by. I was over thinking it again. Take an opportunity as it passes, if I keep doubting things I was never going to get anywhere.

"I would…" I started before my phone started, "Hung on"

I looked down to my hand, watching my screen flash as I pulled it closer to face. Nikky's names flashed along with the screen. I was about to decline call, thinking I could call her back later when it clicked into place she was supposed to come into work today. She was supposed to take the shift after me, therefore coming in just before I left. I smiled an apology, telling Jake I had to take this. Walking back out to the front of the café, I picked up just as I stepped out of the door. At first, I was smiling, happy to hear Nikky's voice but that quickly changed.

"Rose, help me! Caleb, he…" her sob sent me on high alert, "I need you to take James to Ben" her voice wavered before suddenly there was no sound coming from the phone.

"Nikky, I'm coming," my voice strained, I waited for a sign that she was there, "Nikky? Are you okay? Nikky?"

I stood with the phone on my ear for a moment, ready to hang up when I heard the distant sound of screaming. My eyes went wide as I realise Caleb was still there. Nikky was yelling at him but it wouldn't take long for the tables to turn if he decided he didn't like something. What she had seen in him to begin with I never really saw and now I had moments where I wanted to smack her hand lightly and say 'Well, that was a smart one wasn't it' with as much sarcasm as I could bring up. What was I supposed to do? I hung up immediately, jogging onto the café just as Jake got served his drink. I tried to give him somewhat a smile but he seemed to instantly know something was wrong.

"I would love to take the job but I really need to go, I'm really sorry" I gave him once last look and he saw something in my eyes.

As soon as the words telling me I could go left his lips I was off and flying. Running to my car the thought past again about what I was going to do when I got to her but it wasn't hard to forget this time. Pulling my bag off my shoulder, I tried to find my car keys without wasting any more time. I didn't take long for me to get frustrated with everything I had. Like everything that was needed at the time, it was either at the bottom or just plain unfindable. I opted for grabbing at random objects that could have been keys but each time I pulled out something that wasn't I grew more and more angry. How could I still be here? She needs me, Nikky needs my help. I felt like throwing everything out onto the tarmac but with one last grab my hand wrapped the cool metal.


End file.
